1) Where are you from? Your profession (or former one, if retired)?
I was born and raised in Syracuse, NY. I lived and worked in Rochester, NY for 28 years and the Albany/Troy area for 17 years. I've been in Sebastian, FL now for three years.
I worked as a public school educator for 42 years, including positions as elementary school teacher and principal, science and technology magnet school instructional coordinator, supervisor of PK-12 mathematics, and college professor at Nazareth College Graduate School of Education.
2) When and how did you become interested in paddling?
My wife Lisa and I took a three-day wilderness trip off the coast of Maine in 1994. Neither one of us had ever been in a kayak before, but we were immediately hooked. Our story can be found under the trip reports on YackmanArchive.com.
3) Where is your favorite place to paddle?
That's a hard question. These are some of my favorites: Forked Lake in the Adirondack Mountains, the Sangenay Fjord in Quebec, and Georgian Bay in Ontario. In Florida: the Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail, the Peace, Wekiva, Upper Suwannee, and Withlacoochee Rivers, Arbuckle Creek, and the 10,000 Islands. What they all have in common is a wild remoteness that I find very appealing.
4) Tell us about your 'Yackman.com' web site.
I started my web site in 2007. A guy named Bill Quick (KayakGuy.com) was my inspiration. I have always enjoyed playing with photography and technology. Joining those interests with my paddling adventures seemed like a natural thing to do. Changes in web hosting and web site development tools prompted me to archive the pre-2012 reports on YackmanArchive.com while developing a refreshed Yackman.com site at the original URL.
5) How many Paddle Florida trips have you gone on and to where?
I've been on five trips so far: Peace River, Florida Keys Challenges 1 and 2, the Wekiva/St. Johns, and the (northern) Withlacoochee/Suwannee Rivers.
6) What keeps you coming back?
The relaxed organization, great paddling destinations, and the wonderful people you meet and get to know.
7) Can you describe a particular trip 'highlight?'
I found the Peace to be wild, remote, even prehistoric in its feel. I paddled much of the river alone, which I love to do. I seemed to find a new surprise or adventure around every bend.
8) What advice do you have for folks considering a Paddle Florida trip?
Just do it! I have come on most of these trips alone. After the first trip, I began to know some of the folks who are 'frequent flyers.' This helped a lot. So don't be shy if you can't find anyone to tag along. Sign up and you'll have a good time. And compared to outfitter-supported trips, Paddle Florida trips are inexpensive.
1) Where are you from? Your profession (or former one, if retired)?
I live on Grassy Key and spend time at a summer retreat on a bluff in Maine and a family home facing Long Island Sound in Connecticut.
I worked as a professor of information systems, a newspaper columnist, and an inventor of a patented alternative to Braille. I traveled in 32 countries, lived abroad through three Fulbright fellowships, and learned that I get homesick for the coast when I am inland. Since retirement, I have written a mystery: Murder with Kayaks: Sport, Malice, and Mayhem in the Florida Keys (that I may self-publish since my editor just informed me that she lost the manuscript that she's had since last summer), and a children's book: Pete the Puffer Fish: A Love Story in the Florida Keys.
2) When and how did you become interested in paddling?
Born in Rhode Island, I've rowed, sailed, and canoed since I was a child, and kayaked in Long Island Sound, in Downeast Maine, and throughout the Florida Keys. Why did it take so long for kayaks to come into vogue? A mystery!
3) Where is your favorite place to paddle?
I prefer the variety, easy access, and glorious phenomena of the Florida Keys.
4) How many Paddle Florida trips have you gone on and to where?
I paddled the Wekiva/St. Johns trip last spring, the Suwannee River expedition last fall, and this winter the route from Long Key to Bahia Honda in the Keys. The last line in the Paddle Florida newsletter description said, "You know you want to." It was impossible to resist!
5) What keeps you coming back?
I'm hooked. It's sheer bliss, a privilege to paddle all day through spectacular areas and have reliable and conscientious leaders take care of camp sites, catered meals, shuttles, entertainment, and expert presentations. I love to be with people who are good at what they do, and have made many friends. What is life for, if not this?
6) Can you describe a particular Paddle Florida trip highlight?
There was that last morning on the Suwannee--the mist lifted, the water sparkled, and with a perfect breeze aft, I sailed with a golf umbrella for miles and miles past amazing natural springs. Everyone should have one day in their life like that, with companions who tolerate such eccentricities.
7) What advice do you have for folks considering a Paddle Florida trip?
Remember gloves, a camp chair, a secure hat, and good reading. Use a large duffle bag with wheels. Consider silence when paddling--it frees the senses.
1) Where are you from? Your profession?
I am a Kansas boy. As a joke I have "made in
Kansas" on the side of my Sea Pearl, which is made in Norway. I am the
Director of a very nice retirement community in Gastonia, NC, close to
Charlotte. The community has a nice pool, which has allowed me to become decent
roller and to teach others. I have probably taught at least 20 people how to
roll. Here is a link to my bowling ball roll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEtGi4RLaJA
2) When and how did you become interested in paddling?
I have been paddling on and off since I was a Boy Scout, but seriously and, as my wife would say, obsessively for the past eight years. I was a runner and a bike rider until I was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004. I had a large inoperable tumor on my right lung. I was enrolled in a clinical trial and had chemo and radiation that shrunk the tumor so that it was small enough to be removed along with my right lung. Running and cycling were no longer fun activities for me due to my compromised breathing. Someone suggested kayaking. I tried it and enjoyed it from the first time on the water. I now paddle once a week and I am usually in the pool on a weekly basis. I also work at the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, in their flatwater program. It is there that I became associated with athletes training for the Olympics and have become a national slalom judge to help with the races.
3) Where is your favorite place to paddle?
I love to paddle in Florida. The range of scenery is amazing, from the big coastal cities to the remote areas like we paddled along the Ochlockonee and everything in between. I just love to paddle and my favorite place is anywhere I am on the water.
4) Describe that fascinating paddle of yours and why you like it.
I paddle with Greenland and Aleutian style paddles. These are paddles that were traditionally used in the Arctic by the Inuit for thousands of years. My paddles are 87 to 90 inches long and about three inches wide. The traditional paddles evolved over time into paddles that excel in windy, rough, icy conditions. They are excellent for bracing, rolling, and long distance paddling. The paddles are sized for each person. When you get the right sized paddle, it is almost magical how well it works. Most people use paddles too large for them. This is like riding a bike in the wrong gear. You can move the bike, but it takes more effort than necessary. With a traditional paddle, you are maximizing power for effort. You are paddling in the right gear.
5) How many Paddle Florida trips have you gone on and to where?
I have gone on three trips to the Suwannee, the Ochlockonee, and the Wekiva/St. Johns rivers.
6) What keeps you coming back?
It's about the easiest paddling trip to go on from a logistics standpoint. Paddle Florida makes all the camp reservations, pays the fees, plans the meals, hauls the gear, and provides nightly entertainment. All one has to do is paddle. The trips are scheduled at the right time of year for the weather. The people who go on the trips are all like-minded individuals. I have made some good friends, including Bill and Jan.
7) Can you describe a particular Paddle Florida trip 'highlight?'
You may think this is funny if you live in Florida, but seeing my first alligator in the wild was pretty special. Of course, it is always a highlight to see the white flag for the lunch break and the camp at the end of the day.
8) What advice do you have for folks considering a Paddle Florida trip?
Spend some time in the seat of your kayak before coming. Make sure it works for you and will not become uncomfortable after a couple hours of paddling. Bring a light folding chair and a good sleeping pad. Keep what you bring on the light side. Only bring what you need. Even though Paddle Florida hauls your gear from campsite to campsite, you still to load and unload it back on the truck.
1) Where are you from? Your profession?I am from Jacksonville, Florida. Originally an Ohio native, I moved to Jacksonville in 1989. I work as an RN in the home health field.
2) How did you become interested in paddling?
I bought a book two years ago on places to paddle in Florida. I love to experience nature and, for me, paddling is the ultimate in natural serenity. My first experience was Amelia Island last summer and I immediately fell in love with kayaking.
3) Do you have a favorite place to paddle?
I have only been to a handful of places and still have a lot of exploring to do. So far my favorite place is Amelia Island because it is very beautiful and you see so much wildlife. The Suwannee River is cool too because you get to see all the springs along the way.
4) Our recent Suwannee River Wilderness Trail trip was your first with Paddle Florida. What did you most/least enjoy? What did you learn?
What I liked most about the trip was the camaraderie with the other paddlers. I was immediately welcomed and never felt like an inexperienced newcomer. I enjoyed listening to stories of past paddling adventures and meeting so many interesting people. The campsites were really nice, everything was very organized, and I always felt safe. What I least enjoyed were the chilly temps on my last night of the trip. I learned a lot about equipment, water conditions, and what to look for when selecting a kayak.
5) Can you describe a particular trip 'highlight' from your experience with us on the Suwannee?
The most important and meaningful highlights for me were the educational sessions we had on water conservation and the opportunity we had to participate in a day of river cleanup. I went away feeling like I had become involved in something important and that I could make a difference. The trip became much more than enjoying a few days of paddling.
6) Might you consider coming on future Paddle Florida trips? Any particular ones interest you most?
I can't wait to go on more trips with Paddle Florida. I wish I could go on all of them. I don't want to miss any!
7) What advice do you have for folks considering a Paddle Florida trip for the first time?
My advice is to get signed up so that you don't miss out on these great opportunities. I wish I had heard about Paddle Florida sooner! I had to cut the six-day Suwannee trip short and only paddled four days, thinking six would be too much. I really regretted cutting my trip short. I didn't want to leave!
1) Where are you from? Your profession (or former one, if retired)?
I was born in Connecticut and moved to southwest Florida--Naples--in the mid 1950's. After graduating from the University of Florida, I joined the US Air Force. Starting in 1976, I spent 40 years as a commercial airline pilot for several airlines. In 2007, I hit the mandatory retirement age of 60 and have been goofing off ever since.
2) When did you become interested in paddling?
I have been very fortunate to always have access to water. Early in Naples, during its pre-development era, my water sports were fishing and water skiing. During the past 20 years, I've done a lot of kayaking in the local area and longer kayak camping trips.
3) Where is your favorite place to paddle?
I enjoy the local Naples area. We can kayak the Gulf for fishing and beaches. We also do a lot of "tunnel tours." The miles of mangrove tunnels offer great kayaking and wildlife viewing.
4) What's the most interesting thing that ever happened to you on a paddling trip?
The most interesting/scary/funny experience would probably be one of our mangrove tours. During the paddle a friend and I had an extended conversation about alligators and crocodiles. There is a croc colony nearby and we have seen several gators in our saltwater bays. With eight kayaks behind us, the water suddenly exploded around and over me. My friends later suggested it looked like my kayak came out of the water. As the water and mud rained down, I could only think I'm going to get my name in the newspaper. After about a lifetime, two large manatees surfaced just ahead. Then it was funny.
5) How many Paddle Florida trips have you gone on and to where?
Paddle Florida staff have suggested 14 trips, but I have not yet visited all the locations. I'm missing the St. Johns, which I hope to remedy later this month. I'm planning to go on all five trips for the 2012-13 season and am looking forward to the new trip on the Withlacoochee River next February. (Editor's note: Scott has more Paddle Florida miles under his lifejacket than any other paddler. He should become a 1000-miler this season!)
6) What keeps you coming back?
Each trip is unique. Even repeated trips are different. For example, paddling the Suwannee River at low water allows you to ride some rapids and explore some beautiful springs. Paddle that same river near flood stage, 25 feet higher and with a current of 5 knots, and you could literally be paddling through forests.
7) What advice do you have for folks considering a Paddle Florida trip?
All the trips have been terrific and easy to finish. Paddle Florida staff will do all the heavy lifting...you just have to paddle and enjoy. As for my advice, show up with some camping gear, a boat, a paddle, and a big smile. By the end of the trip, you will have had a great adventure, made new friends, and collected some great stories.
With our 2012-13 season kicking off this month, we thought folks might enjoy learning more about our fearless leader--Bill Richards.
1) Where are you from and what did you do professionally before Paddle Florida?
I grew up in a Boston suburb, enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of 18 for boot camp in Orlando, and haven't left the Sunshine State for very long since 1974. After trying my luck as a baseball umpire, I finished an Associate's degree in Daytona Beach in 1982, a Bachelor's degree in 1985, and a Master's at the University of Florida in 1987. My main work experience was in putting on various athletic competitions with the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, until Governor Jeb Bush eliminated that program in 1999. Since that time, I have worked as a management and political consultant for several organizations and candidates. I got the idea for Paddle Florida in 2007 and we became a non-profit organization in 2011.
2) When and how did you first become interested in paddling?
Like many people, I paddled a lot as a kid, but didn't really "get it" until I was much older. I'd say that I've been a regular paddler since the early 90's.
3) Describe one of your favorite places to paddle. What makes it special?
Whew, that's a tough one. There are so many great paddling venues in Florida, but there is still something magical and mystical about the Suwannee River. Just this past August, I took a trip on the Marias/Missouri Rivers in Montana and Lac LaRonge and the Churchill River in Saskatchewan. I have been fortunate to have some great mentors in my paddling life. Two of them are Walt Jetter from Clearwater and Terry Johnson, who splits his time between Bozeman, MT and Homosassa, FL. They were the main instigators for the two trips out West. On the Missouri River, along with four Germans and four Canadians in our group, we re-traced some of Lewis and Clark's route from their 1805 expedition. The lake paddling in Saskatchewan was labor-intensive, with many portages. We explored "The Lost Land," which was described in the writings of Sig Olson, and where Alexander McKenzie and the first 'voyageurs' explored a decade before Lewis and Clark. I returned from the trip in better paddling condition than I have been in for years. Nearly 300 miles of paddling, camping, and portaging will do that. I look back at these trips and see them as burnishing my paddling credentials. I can now brag a little about having "street cred." Ha!
4) Describe how Paddle Florida came into being and its transition to a non-profit organization.
The seeds for Paddle Florida were planted in November 2006, when four friends paddled most of the Suwannee River, self-contained. About halfway through the 150-mile trip, we remarked that people would love to do this if they didn't have to carry all their gear and cook each day. The idea was born. We set out to make it happen. In March of 2008, we had 163 people join us for a seven-day excursion on the Suwannee. Since that time, over 500 people from 28 states have participated in 16 trips on water bodies in each of Florida's five water management districts.
As we staged events in 2008 and 2009, we saw what was happening to our waterways, especially our springs...and a new non-profit mission emerged: the conservation of water, the preservation of wildlife, the restoration of springs, and the protection of waterways in Florida. We couldn't have come this far without the cooperation of the Department of Environmental Protection through the Office of Greenways and Trails and the Florida Park Service.
5) What do you enjoy most about your work with Paddle Florida? Least?
By far, the most enjoyable aspect of running a non-profit is the people I get to meet on each trip. Whether they are seasoned Paddle Florida veterans or newbies, they always learn something from our trips and I always learn something from them. The other great thing I get to do is work with some wonderful musicians, who seem to have similar sensibilities to my own. What do I like least? Maybe drying out, sorting, and unpacking from each trip.
6) Tell us something about yourself that might surprise folks to learn about you.
Hmmm. Let's see. I bet folks don't know that in 2006, with a group of five others, I helped to raise over $50,000 for the Climb for Cancer Foundation by climbing Mt. Kilimangaro in Tanzania.
7) Who tells the best jokes around the Paddle Florida campfire?
Guerry Bradley from St. Augustine is our reigning joke-teller extraordinaire. He has regaled us with the same joke on the Suwannee and in the Keys, with great results.
8) What advice do you have for folks considering a Paddle Florida trip?
I would suggest that they come with a sense of humor. Paddlers tell me that by "going with the flow," they have some of the best experiences of their lives. The upcoming season, beginning with the Suwannee later this month, should be our best yet. At the peak of October's full moon, Tom Shed plays at Lafayette Blue Springs on the 29th and Grant Peeples will perform at the Suwannee River Rendezvous Resort and Campground on the 30th. What could be better?
9) What do you hope to see Paddle Florida achieve in the future?
We hope to continue to advance our mission. Springs are in dire condition in North Central Florida. There is a water crisis because we are not better stewards of our precious resources. We must be more engaged in water policy matters, because current policies indicate that we have forgotten one of the eternal truths: nature bats last.
1) Where are you from? Your profession (or former one, if retired)?
I grew up in Pennsylvania and, because of the gloomy weather, didn't go outdoors until I was 25 and moved to Colorado. And I haven't been indoors since! I am now retired. Most of my career was in education in Denver - elementary school teacher, school-home-community liaison, and middle school counselor. In the mid 90's, I followed my husband to Page, Arizona for his promotion and worked as a mental health therapist in a community agency, mostly supporting Navajo families. I finished my professional career back in Denver serving as part of the crisis intervention team for the Columbine shootings. The next chapter was as a watercolor artist in Denver and Florida.
2) When and how did you become interested in paddling?
After my husband died in a plane crash, I needed a change and moved to Sebastian, Florida. I traded skiing, backpacking, and amateur car racing for kayaking, road biking, and hiking in my attempt to find exercise sufficiently strenuous to work the muscles and mellow the mind.
3) Where is your favorite place to paddle?
My favorite place to paddle has to be the Sebastian River. I can launch a mere block from my house and paddle 20 miles without running out of river. I can extend from there and play on the Indian River. I run out of daylight before I run out of possibilities. Other favorites are the clear waters of the spring fed rivers. The rivers in Florida continue to amaze me. I moved here because of the beaches; I stay because of the rivers.
4) How many Paddle Florida trips have you gone on and to where?
I have gone on a number of wonderful trips with Paddle Florida, although not as many as Scott Keyes. I've done the Suwannee three times, the Ochlockonee twice, and the ocean paddles in the Keys twice.
5) What keeps you coming back?
I keep signing up for Paddle Florida trips because they truly are wonderful experiences for me. The long distances are the best part; I loved the 123-mile trips on the Suwannee. Being with a group of like-minded people is another great aspect. I feel privileged to be able to hang out with certain people I've connected with over the years and who have challenged me to grow as a paddler. And I know we're looking out for each other on the water. I greatly appreciate that Paddle Florida hauls my gear around and makes my meals...for a fee, of course.
6) Can you describe a particular trip highlight?
There have been many highlights...the early morning mist rising on the Suwannee, about 80 kayaks floating in front of a Disney cruise ship off Key West last January (knowing that we were the ones having the most fun) and realizing that my arms didn't fall off during the 120-mile ocean paddle. However, the greatest highlight for me was probably coming to the finish line on my first trip, 123 miles on the Suwannee, and realizing what an accomplishment that was for me. Remember that I didn't go outdoors until I was 25 and I grew up in a family that avoids the water.
7) What's the most number of oysters you've eaten in one sitting?
How could I count? I was so busy eating! But I know that I did not consume as many as Jill Lingard. She definitely is the champion! (Editor's note: Don't know about that. Mim is a fierce competitor! The Panhandle surely experienced an oyster shortage after last March's Ochlockonee trip.)
8) What advice do you have for folks considering a Paddle Florida trip?
I say "sign up!" The leaders of the group are experienced, welcoming, and well organized. A lot of people feel apprehensive on their first trip and then realize how well they're being supported. Because of these trips, I have grown from being a wimpy paddler doing 5-mile local trips with friends to now regularly wanting to do 15-20 mile days in more difficult conditions.
